ing rooms, a storeroom and
oil-tank. As Pomfrey entered, Jim closed the door softly behind him.
The abrupt transition from the glare of the sands and sun to the
semi-darkness of the storeroom at first prevented him from seeing
anything, but he was instantly distracted by a scurrying flutter and
wild beating of the walls, as of a caged bird. In another moment
he could make out the fair stranger, quivering with excitement,
passionately dashing at the barred window, the walls, the locked door,
and circling around the room in her desperate attempt to find an egress,
like a captured seagull. Amazed, mystified, indignant with Jim, himself,
and even his unfortunate captive, Pomfrey called to her in Chinook to
stop, and going to the door, flung it wide open. She darted by him,
raising her soft blue eyes for an instant in a swift, sidelong glance of
half appeal, half-frightened admiration, and rushed out into the open.
But here, to his surprise, she did not run away. On the contrary, she
drew herself up with a dignity that seemed to increase her height, and
walked majestically towards Jim, who at her unexpected exit had suddenly
thrown himself upon the sand, in utterly abject terror and supplication.
She approached him slowly, with one small hand uplifted in a menacing
gesture. The man writhed and squirmed before her. Then she turned,
caught sight of Pomfrey standing in the doorway, and walked quietly
away. Amazed, yet gratified with this new assertion of herself, Pomfrey
respectfully, but alas! incautiously, called after her. In an instant,
at the sound of his voice, she dropped again into her slouching Indian
trot and glided away over the sandhills.

Pomfrey did not add any reproof of his own to the discomfiture of his
Indian retainer. Neither did he attempt to inquire the secret of this
savage girl's power over him. It was evident he had spoken truly when he
told his master that she was of a superior caste. Pomfrey recalled her
erect and indignant figure standing over the prostrate Jim, and was
again perplexed and disappointed at her sudden lapse into the timid
savage at the sound of his voice. Would not this well-meant but
miserable trick of Jim's have the effect of increasing her unreasoning
animal-like distrust of him? A few days later brought an unexpected
answer to his question.

It was the hottest hour of the day. He had been fishing off the reef
of rocks where he had first seen her, and had taken in his line and was